What Does the Bible Say About Mothers? 8 Verses and What Each One Means
The main Bible verses for mothers are Proverbs 31:28, Isaiah 66:13, Proverbs 31:25-26 and Exodus 20:12. Proverbs 31:28 is the one most used in tributes: "Her children rise up and call her blessed". Isaiah 66:13 compares God's comfort to a mother's. Proverbs 31:25-26 describes strength, laughter at the time to come and "kind instruction" on the tongue. Exodus 20:12 carries the command to honor father and mother. This page collects 8 Bible verses for mothers with the full text, the reference and a one-line explanation for each.
When the Bible wants to describe God's comfort, it uses the image of a mother: "as one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you". Proverbs ends with children rising up to call their mother blessed; Paul recalls the faith Timothy received from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice; the commandment to honor father and mother comes with a promise of long life. There are also unnamed mothers and grieving mothers, and the Bible does not hide them. The verses on this page are for Mother's Day, for the card, for the tribute at church, for the mother who has just had her first child and for those who miss a mother who has passed. Choose one and write her name: "blessed" reads even better with an addressee.
Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband also praises her:
Proverbs 31:28As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you. You will be comforted in Jerusalem.”
Isaiah 66:13Strength and dignity are her clothing. She laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom. Kind instruction is on her tongue.
Proverbs 31:25-26“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.
Exodus 20:12My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
Proverbs 1:8having been reminded of the sincere faith that is in you, which lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, in you also.
2 Timothy 1:5Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
Proverbs 23:25“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you!
Isaiah 49:15
Frequently asked questions
Which verse is for Mother's Day?
Proverbs 31:28 ("her children rise up and call her blessed") is the most used; Isaiah 66:13 and Proverbs 31:25-26 complete the list.
Which verse is for a first-time mother?
Psalm 127:3, Psalm 139:13-14 and Isaiah 40:11, where God carries the lambs in his arms and gently leads those who are nursing.
Which verse is for someone who has lost their mother?
Isaiah 66:13 ("as one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you") and Psalm 34:18. See also the verses of comfort for grief.
See also
Scripture text: World English Bible (WEB), public domain. Prayers, introductions and reflections: original text by this site, not affiliated with any denomination. Devotional content; it does not replace medical, psychological or legal advice.